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People are focussing too much on the war on terroism. What it really comes down to is no matter who is elected we need our deficit down before we become a poor country. The issue I want to see disscussed is not only the economy and what they plan on doing, but what tax cuts and added taxes they wish to implement. My theory is this (watch out, I can be both conservative and liberal). I want a candidate that is at least open to the idea of legalizing some drugs. This would benefit everyone especially the drug user. For instance, if its legal the government can produce it, sell it, and regulate it. That means if you go out and buy LSD you KNOW you are getting LSD and not some shit that will fry your brain before it hits your tongue. They can also tax the hell out of it which people will not care about, much like cigarrettes. Think about it, how many people do you know that smoke pot? I can think of at least a dozen off the top of my head. Now if those 12 people I know have friends that I dont know about that smoke, and their friends have friends, and so on and so on, that is a lot of people. Large amounts of people = large amounts of tax dollars = lower deficit.

Another thing to consider is this, and bear with me. If we increase sales tax just a bit it will bring us more revenue. I know what you are thinking... "DUH!" Well here is the thing, we need to lower another tax that only effects American citizens (IE property tax). I live in San Diego and I know people that are here illegally and they live in an apartment complex or some other complex where they do not need to pay property tax because they do not have property. The increase in sales tax would definately get just a bit more of their money because everyone buys stuff. This idea is a little more controversial but like communism its a great concept in theory.

> The problem I have with sales tax is that it's inherently regressive.

How so? If sales tax is a fixed percentage of the sales price then where does this hurt the poor more than the rich?

We have an interesting system in the territories. We pay income tax, just like in the states and property tax as well. We do not pay sales tax, however. Instead, everything that comes on island is hit with duties of around 10%. When I sell something as a retailer, I have already payed the sales tax as an import duty. The price that the customer sees on the tag is the price they pay... no extra percentage on sale.

Quote:Seuss said:> The problem I have with sales tax is that it's inherently regressive.

How so? If sales tax is a fixed percentage of the sales price then where does this hurt the poor more than the rich?

Well, think about it for a second. Sales tax drives up the cost of an item. That higher cost applies equally to everyone no matter what their income, so those with a lower income will be paying a higher percentage of their income for that item.

I have always felt that the best way to access (or value) a tax is by the need and harm that something has... things like cars would have a higher tax than things like a bicycle while things like food and basic clothing would have no tax at all.

I live in San Diego and I know people that are here illegally and they live in an apartment complex or some other complex where they do not need to pay property tax because they do not have property.

Technically correct, but in practice incorrect.

The fact of the matter is that one factor which determines the rent for a given apartment is how much property tax the owner of that apartment must pay. So if you are paying rent, you are paying property tax.

That is why I said it was good in theory. However there is one loop hole. It all depends on how the complex is set up. There are some that are owned by a large coorperation, and then there are those that are owned by individuals. If you buy a place, not rent, in one of the cooperation owned ones you may not have to pay the property tax because you do not own the property. Also, property tax isnt in place on the volume you own, its charged on the area you own. If you have a 3 story complex you only pay for the amount of square feet in of the lot it is on, not all three stories. Depending on who owns the place you may not pay tax on it.

Your assertion was that renters don't pay property tax. The only time this is correct is when the owners of the property don't pay property tax either. I would imagine this might be the case if we are talking about city-owned public housing projects where the city has exempted themselves from the need to pay city property taxes, but in every other case I know of the owner pays property tax.

Whether the property tax is based on footprint or volume is irrelevant -- property tax is paid by the owner of the building in question and that expense is passed on to those who rent space in the building.

I can assure you, my tenants pay the property taxes on my properties. It's merely factored into the rents I charge. As are all the expenses.

I know of no landlord stupid enough to do otherwise.

--------------------You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for that my dear friend is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. ~ Adrian Rogers

And here is the merry kicker; Home OWNERS get to deduct their property taxes from their income. Home renters do NOT, even though they pay it. The landlords deduct it as a business expense but, like Pinky and LDS say, they are just collecting the money from their tenants. Talk about a regressive tax!